A fast-track court, hearing the 2008 Kandhamal communal riot cases, sentenced Bharatiya Janata Party legislator Manoj Pradhan, to six years' rigorous imprisonment for his involvement in a murder. HT reports.

A fast-track court, hearing the 2008 Kandhamal communal riot cases, sentenced Bharatiya Janata Party legislator Manoj Pradhan, to six years' rigorous imprisonment for his involvement in a murder.

The judge, Chitta Ranjan Das, awarded the sentence and slapped a fine of Rs 15,000 on Pradhan, who represents G Udaygiri assembly constituency in Kandhamal, for the murder of Bikram Nayak.

Ajit Patnaik, Pradhan's lawyer, said he would appeal against the verdict in the high court.

The August 2008 riots in Kandhamal, about 240 km southwest of here, were triggered by the murder of Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) leader Swami Laxmanananda by suspected Maoists.

But the VHP blamed the Christian community for the murder.

At least 38 persons were killed in the riots and thousands of people left their villages to take shelter in refugee camps all over the state.

Pradhan, a disciple of the Swami, was arrested in October 2008 on several charges, including murder, rioting and arson. He fought the elections in April 2009 from jail and won with a thumping majority.